House Speaker John Boehner marked Pope Francis’ first anniversary Thursday by extending an open invitation to him to address a joint meeting of Congress.
Boehner, who is Catholic, noted in a statement that the Argentinian was the first Pope “to hail from the Americas.”
The Speaker said his teachings, “rooted in ‘the joy of the gospel,’ have prompted careful reflection and vigorous dialogue among people of all ideologies and religious views in the United States and throughout a rapidly changing world, particularly among those who champion human dignity, freedom, and social justice.”
Boehner’s letter to Francis said the invitation was on behalf of the bipartisan leadership of the House and the Senate.
Boehner, who is Catholic, noted in a statement that the Argentinian was the first Pope “to hail from the Americas.”
The Speaker said his teachings, “rooted in ‘the joy of the gospel,’ have prompted careful reflection and vigorous dialogue among people of all ideologies and religious views in the United States and throughout a rapidly changing world, particularly among those who champion human dignity, freedom, and social justice.”
Boehner’s letter to Francis said the invitation was on behalf of the bipartisan leadership of the House and the Senate.
